Last month the main European designers showed their new collections for the Fall 2010 in Milan and Paris. Our blog selected the key trends for the season. A good chance to start looking ahead and to think about the new persona you might want to impersonate. Here we go:

1. WIDER TROUSERS

Lanvin, Dior Homme and Yves Saint Laurent

It’s maybe too early to say that the skinny trousers will be completely gone. But this season it seems that the desire for more straight and even loose pants is growing.

2. LAYERING

Viktor & Rolf, Comme des Garçons and Louis Vuitton

Maybe this was the strongest statement from the shows.  Men seem to be more and more free from the cut and the design of clothes to finally embody the Styling. The shows suggested very unusual layerings and proved that there are (still) so many possibilities to experiment.

3. LAYERING PART 2 – DOUBLE COLLAR NECKS

Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada and Burberry

Stronger in Milan than in Paris, this trend is another example of how to make layers with your clothes. The variation of temperature that one day can have is also influencing on how we all want to dress. Layering seems to be the key.

4. DARK GREEN

Raf Simons, Lanvin and Salvatore Ferragamo

Between all the shades of green this is the most masculine one. In general the clothes for the season will have a strong and rigid aspect. Apart from black, dark green is the colour that matches better within this principle.

5. MONASTICAL

Jil Sander, Givenchy and Dior Homme

This is a trend more evident on the collection that the designer Riccardo Tisci created for Givenchy. He was inspired by the sobriety of priest’s clothes and the result was amazing with nice white shirts used with black jackets. The concept is a more hermetic body that doesn’t reveal almost anything.

6. SOLDIERS

Prada, Burberry and Lanvin

A very recurrent theme in men’s fashion, the army uniforms are frequently explored by designers. This season it comes in a more fetishized way as seen in Lanvin’s influential show.

7. CHEKED PATTERN

Dries Van Noten, Raf Simons and Margiela

Another classic from menswear, the checked pattern is adored by a certain group of men. The good thing is that you can always can use it in your way: mixing with other patterns (but with know-how please) or using them in a maxi-sized version as Margiela and Raf Simons presented.

8. FURRY HATS

Vivienne Westwood, Comme des Garçons and D&G

As we reported here before, the Russian hat is in vogue in Europe at the moment. For the next Fall it seems that they will keep existing but in other shapes and also in other types of furry materials.

9. FUR

Alexis Mabille, Rick Owens and Gucci

Other day the owner of a vintage shop in Portobello Road in London told me that is rising the number of men wearing fur. At least on that area. It made me think if this is something that could really be back to fashion or not. No matter which is the outcome of an ecological discussion behind it, if the furs used should be fake or real… The fact is that there are brands using the material in small details now as an excuse to add value (aka to double the price of the clothes). In case you are a fan, prepare your pockets.

10. SKULLS

Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Dsquared2

The best collection exploring skulls and death actually didn’t come from Europe. It would be unfair if I didn’t mention the brilliant menswear collection from the Brazilian designer Alexandre Herchcovitch. He presented it also in January but at São Paulo Fashion Week in Brazil. It’s worth to have a look at it.

11. VIOLENCE

Dsquared2, John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier

A very evident trend on the make-up sector seemed to came up this season. I think the point here is the discussion if men these days are looking for their lost masculinity after  all the metrossexuals and Beckhams along the last decade. I believe that we are going to see more examples of this new emerging “manly men” along the next years. A video that captured my attention these days and it’s somehow related to this topic is the very British “Enter Achilles” from DV8 Dance Theatre.

12. THE BEST LOOKS FROM THE TOP 3 COLLECTIONS

Junya Watanabe, Prada and Kris Van Assche

In our opinion Junya Watanabe, Prada and Kris Van Assche were those who did the most interesting collections this season. Those three brands combined very well a smart and fresh image of men with desirable itens.

Photos from GQ.com and The Fashionisto blog